Keg cap integrated with yeast capsule, coupler for coupling keg cap integrated with yeast capsule, and beer-making device provided with same

ABSTRACT

A beer-making device according to an embodiment of the present invention may comprise: a chamber; a keg containing wort and mounted in the chamber; a keg cap integrated with a yeast capsule, which closes the inside of the keg by being coupled to the keg and is provided with a wort discharge passage for discharging the wort contained in the keg, a gas discharge passage for discharging a gas inside the keg, and a wort hose coupled to a lower portion of the wort discharge passage and extended to the inner bottom surface of the keg, and in which a yeast capsule, containing yeast to be supplied to the wort contained in the keg, is mounted to the wort discharge passage; a coupler which is fixedly installed in the chamber, and is provided with a wort passage connected to the wort discharge passage when the keg cap is coupled, and a gas passage connected to the gas discharge passage when the keg cap is coupled; a passage unit for connecting the wort passage and the gas passage of the coupler; a pump connected to the passage unit; and a control unit for controlling the operation of the pump so that the yeast contained in the yeast capsule is supplied to the wort contained in the keg.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is a division of U.S. patent application Ser. No.16/647,528, filed on Mar. 16, 2020, currently pending, which is theNational Phase Application of PCT International Application No.PCT/KR2018/010920, filed on Sep. 17, 2018, and which claims priorityfrom Korean Patent Application No. 10-2017-0119868, filed on Sep. 18,2017. The disclosures of the above patent applications are incorporatedherein by reference in their entirety.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present disclosure relates to a beer manufacturing apparatus fordirectly producing and selling beer with living yeast on locationwithout professional knowledge and automatically and easilymanufacturing various types of beer at low cost at one time withoutbeing contaminated by contact with the outside.

BACKGROUND ART

Beer is alcoholic drink made by juicing and filtering malt fromgerminating barley, adding hop thereto, and then, fermenting theresultant with yeast.

Such a method of preparing beer includes preparing wort by boiling malt,fermenting a material obtained by supplying yeast to the wort, andmaturing the fermented beer, and in this regard, beer sold at asupermarket or a big-box store is manufactured by sterilizing the beeras prepared above and then filling a bottle or a can with the beer fordistribution and storage thereof.

However, when matured beer is sterilized, yeast dies, and thus,currently distributed beer is in a state in which yeast dies duringsterilization treatment.

On the other hand, microbrew is beer with living yeast and is uniquebeer that is personally produced to enhance the flavor and aromathereof, and it is possible to taste such microbrew only in a specialplace having brewery and to manufacture hundred thousand various typesof microbrew or more depending on types of yeast and hop.

However, it is possible to manufacture microbrew through onlycomplicated and various manufacturing processes, and in particular, afermentation and maturement process requires huge equipment investment,long manufacturing lead time, much labor manpower, or the like, and asystem for manufacturing microbrew is inefficient in that professionalpersonnel needs to personally manage the whole manufacturing processes.

For fermentation of wort after wort is prepared, wort contained in awort cask needs to be moved and contained in a fermenter forfermentation, in which case beer is likely to be contaminated due tocontact with the outside and beer is likely to deteriorate due tocontact with oxygen, and thus, all contact surfaces and flow channelsneed to be cleaned and sterilized to remove other germs other than yeastduring fermentation, and accordingly, there is a problem in that muchtime and labor manpower are required.

That is, conventionally, huge equipment investment and manpower arerequired to manufacture microbrew, and hundreds of millions of won ofequipment investment and much manpower are required even in order tomanufacture microbrew with a small scale, and in particular, there is aproblem in that professional knowledge or professional personnel formanufacture of microbrew.

Conventionally, a beer manufacturing apparatus produces beer bypreparing a large amount of wort at one time and fermenting a largeamount of beer in one tank, but this process has a problem in that wholebeer becomes contaminated and useless when beer is slightly contaminatedor beer needs to be stored for a long time to thus deteriorate when notbeing sold.

DISCLOSURE Technical Problem

It is an object of the present disclosure to provide a beermanufacturing apparatus for directly producing and selling beer withliving yeast on location without professional knowledge andautomatically and easily manufacturing various types of beer at low costat one time without being contaminated by contact with the outside.

It is an object of the present disclosure to provide a keg capintegrated with a yeast capsule and a coupler coupled to the keg cap.

Technical Solution

According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, a beermanufacturing apparatus includes a chamber, a keg containing worttherein mounted in the chamber, a yeast capsule integration-type keg capthat is coupled to the keg to seal an internal part of the keg, includesa wort discharge line configured to discharge the wort contained in thekeg, a gas exhaust line configured to discharge internal gas of the keg,and a wort hose coupled to a lower part of the wort discharge line andformed a long way to an internal bottom surface of the keg, and in whichan yeast capsule containing yeast to be supplied to the wort containedin the keg is mounted on the wort discharge line, a coupler that isfixedly installed in the chamber and includes a wort line connected tothe wort discharge line and an air line connected to the gas exhaustline when the keg cap is coupled to the coupler, an flow path unitconfigured to connect the wort line and the air line of the coupler, apump connected to the flow path unit, and a controller configured tocontrol an operation of the pump to supply the yeast contained in theyeast capsule to the wort contained in the keg.

Advantageous Effects

In the beer manufacturing apparatus as configured above and a beermanufacturing method according to an exemplary embodiment of the presentdisclosure, beer with living yeast may be automatically and easilymanufactured without being contaminated by contact with the outsidewithout professional knowledge by simply mounting the sealed the keg 202containing the wort therein manufactured and provided from a factory, inthe chamber

In the beer manufacturing apparatus and the beer manufacturing methodaccording to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure, thereare a plurality of chambers for independently adjusting a temperatureand for independent fermentation, and thus, various types of beer may bemanufactured at one time.

A keg cap integrated with a yeas capsule and a coupler coupled to thekeg cap according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosuremay automatically and easily supply yeast contained in the yeast capsuleto wort contained in a keg.

It will be appreciated by persons skilled in the art that that theeffects that could be achieved with the present disclosure are notlimited to what has been particularly described hereinabove and otheradvantages of the present disclosure will be more clearly understoodfrom the detailed description.

DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing a beer manufacturing apparatusaccording to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure.

FIG. 2 is a schematic vertical cross-sectional view of the beermanufacturing apparatus of FIG. 1 .

FIG. 3 is a schematic horizontal cross-sectional view of the beermanufacturing apparatus of FIG. 1 .

FIG. 4 is a diagram for explaining a cool air supply device according toan exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure.

FIG. 5 is a diagram for explaining a fermentation device according to anexemplary embodiment of the present disclosure.

FIG. 6 is a diagram showing the configuration of a fermentation deviceaccording to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure.

FIG. 7 is a diagram showing an internal part of a chamber of the beermanufacturing apparatus of FIG. 1 .

FIG. 8 is a diagram showing a state in which a keg is mounted in thechamber of FIG. 7 .

FIG. 9 is a schematic diagram showing an independent flow path unitformed by mounting a keg in the chamber of FIG. 7 .

FIG. 10 is a diagram showing a configuration of a beer manufacturingapparatus according to an exemplary embodiment of the presentdisclosure.

FIG. 11 is a flowchart showing a beer manufacturing method using a beermanufacturing apparatus according to an exemplary embodiment of thepresent disclosure.

FIGS. 12 to 14 are diagrams for explaining a sterilization and washingoperation of an flow path unit using a beer manufacturing apparatusaccording to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure, FIG. 12is a schematic diagram showing a state in which a sterilization andwashing cap is coupled to a coupler, FIG. 13 is a schematic diagramshowing a state in which sterilization and washing water is circulatedin an flow path unit, and FIG. 14 is a flowchart showing thesterilization and washing operation of an flow path unit using a beermanufacturing apparatus according to an exemplary embodiment of thepresent disclosure.

FIGS. 15 to 18 are diagrams for explaining a smart infusing method usinga beer manufacturing apparatus according to an exemplary embodiment ofthe present disclosure, FIG. 15 is a schematic diagram showing a statein which a keg containing wort therein is coupled to a coupler, FIG. 16is a schematic diagram showing a state in which wort contained in a kegis circulated in an flow path unit, FIG. 17 is a flowchart showing asmart infusing method according to an exemplary embodiment of thepresent disclosure, and FIG. 18 is a flowchart showing a smart infusingmethod according to another exemplary embodiment of the presentdisclosure.

FIGS. 19 to 27 are diagrams for explaining a beer manufacturingapparatus according to an exemplary embodiment of the presentdisclosure, FIG. 19 is a diagram showing a keg containing wort thereinprovided in a beer manufacturing apparatus according to an exemplaryembodiment of the present disclosure, FIG. 20 is an exploded diagramshowing the keg containing the wort therein illustrated in FIG. 19 ,FIG. 21 is a diagram showing a state in which a coupler is coupled to akeg cap of the keg containing the wort therein illustrated in FIG. 19 ,FIG. 22 is a schematic cross-sectional view of a keg cap with an yeastcapsule integrated therewith according to an exemplary embodiment of thepresent disclosure, FIG. 23 is a schematic cross-sectional view of acoupler coupled to the keg cap illustrated in FIG. 22 , FIG. 24 is aschematic cross-sectional view of a state which the keg cap illustratedin FIG. 22 and the coupler illustrated in FIG. 23 are coupled to eachother, FIG. 25 is an enlarged view of a portion ‘A’ of FIG. 24 , FIG. 26is an enlarged view of a portion ‘B’ of FIG. 24 , and FIG. 27 is a anenlarged view of a portion ‘C’ of FIG. 24 .

BEST MODE

Exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure are described in detailso that those of ordinary skill in the art may easily implement the samewith reference to the accompanying drawings.

As the exemplary embodiments allow for various changes and numerousembodiments, particular embodiments will be illustrated in the drawingsand described in detail in the written description. However, this is notintended to limit the present disclosure to particular modes ofpractice, and it is to be appreciated that all changes, equivalents, andsubstitutes that do not depart from the spirit and technical scope ofthe present disclosure are encompassed in the present disclosure.

The thicknesses and sizes of components in the accompanying drawings maybe exaggerated for clarity of the specification, and thus, the exemplaryembodiments are not limited by relative sizes or thicknesses in theaccompanying drawings.

FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing a beer manufacturing apparatusaccording to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure. FIG. 2is a schematic vertical cross-sectional view of the beer manufacturingapparatus of FIG. 1 . FIG. 3 is a schematic horizontal cross-sectionalview of the beer manufacturing apparatus of FIG. 1 .

Referring to FIGS. 1 to 3 , a beer manufacturing apparatus 10 accordingto an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure may include amachine room 100 including a cooling device 110 for generating cool air,a fermentation room 200 including a plurality of chambers 210 eachhaving an independent space in which a keg 202 containing wort thereinis mounted, and a support 15 for supporting the machine room 100 and thefermentation room 200.

The machine room 100 may include a cool air storage 120 for storing thecool air generated by the cooling device 110, and the fermentation room200 may include a cool air supply device 220 for supplying the cool airstored in the cool air storage 120 to an internal part of the chamber210.

The fermentation room 200 may include a fermentation device 300 forfermenting the wort contained in the keg 202 mounted in the chamber 210.

The chamber 210 may have an independent space in which the keg 202containing the wort therein is mounted and may include a door 212 forsealing the internal part of the chamber 210, in which case temperatureinside the chamber 210 may be independently adjusted by the cool airsupply device 220, and beer may be manufactured by independentlyfermenting the wort contained in the keg 202 mounted inside the chamber210 through the fermentation device 300.

In general, beer needs to be manufactured under conditions such asdifferent fermentation times or different fermentation temperaturesdepending on types of wort and yeast, and thus, the flavor ofmanufactured beer may be different due to the different conditions, andin this regard, the beer manufacturing apparatus 10 according to anexemplary embodiment of the present disclosure may include the pluralityof chambers 210 for enabling independent temperature adjustment andfermentation, and thus, it may be possible to manufacture various typesof beer at one time.

The beer manufacturing apparatus 10 according to an exemplary embodimentof the present disclosure may be installed at a place such as a pub or abar for selling beer with living yeast, and the keg 202 containing thewort therein may be manufactured and provided from a factory.

For example, in the factory, wort may be prepared, the prepared wort maybe sterilized for distribution and storage thereof, the sterilized wortmay be contained in the keg 202, the keg 202 may be sealed with a kegcap, and the sealed keg may be distributed to a sale place in which thebeer manufacturing apparatus 10 according to the present disclosure isinstalled, and accordingly, the keg 202 containing the wort therein maybe provided.

By simply mounting the sealed the keg 202 containing the wort therein inthe chamber 210 in the sale place in which the beer manufacturingapparatus 10 according to the present disclosure is installed, beer withliving yeast may be easily manufactured and sold without professionalknowledge through a process of automatically fermenting and maturing thewort through the fermentation device 300 in a state in which the keg 202is sealed, i.e., without being contaminated by contact with the outside.

Although the two kegs 202 are illustrated to be mounted in one chamber210 according to the present embodiment, one keg 202 may be mounted inone chamber 210, and the present disclosure may not be limited by thenumber of the kegs 202 mounted in one chamber 210.

However, when the two kegs 202 are mounted in one chamber 210 like inthe present embodiment, the fermentation device 300 may also beconfigured to independently ferment the wort contained in each of thetwo kegs 202.

The fermentation room 200 may be rotatably installed.

For example, when the fermentation room 200 is positioned above thesupport 15 and the machine room 100 is positioned above the fermentationroom 200 like in the present embodiment, the fermentation room 200 maybe rotatably installed between the support 15 and the machine room 100,and to this end, a component for rotating the fermentation room 200,such as a rotating bearing or a rotary damper, may be installed betweenthe fermentation room 200 and the support 15 and between thefermentation room 200 and the machine room 100.

However, the present disclosure is not limited thereto, and the machineroom 100 may be positioned above the support 15 and the fermentationroom 200 may be positioned above the machine room 100, in which case thefermentation room 200 may be rotatably installed while being positionedabove the machine room 100.

As such, when the fermentation room 200 is rotatably installed, a usermay conveniently mount the keg 202 in each of the plurality of chambers210 or may conveniently unmount the keg 202 mounted in each of theplurality of chambers 210 while rotating the fermentation room 200.

As seen from FIG. 3 , the plurality of chambers 210 may be partitionedin a circumferential direction thereof. Then, the user may more easilymount and unmount the keg 202 while rotating the fermentation room 200.

According to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure, the beermanufacturing apparatus 10 may further include a display 17 that isinstalled at an approximately upper part, that is, on a front surface ofthe machine room 100 and displays fermentation progress of the wortcontained in the keg 202 mounted in each of the plurality of chambers210, internal temperature of each of the chambers 210, or the like.

The cooling device 110 may be configured to generate cool air usingrefrigerant and may include, for example, a compressor, a condenser, anevaporator, or a heat exchanger.

The cool air storage 120 may include a first case 122 and a second case125 that form a space 121 for storing the cool air generated by thecooling device 110.

The first case 122 may be fixedly positioned in the machine room 100 toreceive the cool air generated by the cooling device 110, and the secondcase 125 may be rotatably installed at the first case 122 and may berotated together while the fermentation room 200 is rotated.

A gasket 127 for preventing leakage of the cool air stored in the coolair storage 120 due to rotation of the second case 125 may be installedbetween the first case 122 and the second case 125, and a fan 129 forsmoothly supplying the cool air generated by the cooling device 110 tothe second case 125 may be installed at an upper part of the first case122.

The cool air supply device 220 may be connected to the second case 125.

FIG. 4 is a diagram for explaining a cool air supply device according toan exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure.

As shown in FIG. 4 , the cool air supply device 220 according to anexemplary embodiment of the present disclosure may be a component forsupplying cool air stored in the cool air storage 120 to each of theplurality of chambers 210, and the fermentation room 200 may include theplurality of cool air supply devices 220, the number of whichcorresponds to at least the number of the plurality of chambers 210.

The cool air supply device 220 may include a duct 222 that is connectedto the second case 125 and connects the cool air storage 120 to thechamber 210, a cool air supply fan 225 for supplying the cool air storedin the cool air storage 120 to the chamber 210 through the duct 222, anda duct open and closer 227 for opening and closing the duct 222.

A cool air supplying inlet 211 connected to the duct 222 may be formedat an upper end of each of the chambers 210, and a heater 219 andtemperature sensor (not shown) may be installed inside each of thechambers 210.

Thus, internal temperature of each of the chambers 210 may beindependently adjusted by the temperature sensor, the cool air supplydevice 220, and the heater 219. That is, internal temperature of thechamber 210 may be independently adjusted depending on a degree offermentation progress of the wort contained the keg 202 mounted in eachof the plurality of chambers 210.

FIG. 5 is a diagram for explaining a fermentation device according to anexemplary embodiment of the present disclosure. FIG. 6 is a diagramshowing the configuration of a fermentation device according to anexemplary embodiment of the present disclosure.

As shown in FIG. 5 , the fermentation device 300 according to anexemplary embodiment of the present disclosure may be a component forindependently fermenting wort contained in the keg 202 mounted in eachof the plurality of chambers 210, and the fermentation room 200 mayinclude the plurality of fermentation devices 300, the number of whichcorresponds to at least the number of the plurality of chambers 210.

The fermentation device 300 may include a coupler 230 to which a keg cap205 of the keg 202 is coupled, an flow path unit 304 connected to thecoupler 230 to form an independent flow path, a filter unit 270connected to the flow path unit 304, and a pump 260 connected to theflow path unit 304.

As described above, in the present embodiment, the two kegs 202 aremounted in the one chamber 210, in which case the fermentation devices300 for fermenting the wort contained in the respective kegs 202 shareonly the pump 260 and may also be independently configured.

That is, in order to independently ferment the wort contained in the twokegs 202 mounted in the one chamber 210, the fermentation device 300 mayinclude the two couplers 230, the two flow channels 304, and the twofilter units 270.

Needless to say, the fermentation device 300 may also include the twopumps 260, if one pump 260 is shared like in the present embodiment, theconfiguration of the fermentation device 300 may be simplified.

The coupler 230 may include an air line 232 and a wort line 234.

The flow path unit 304 may connect the air line 232 and the wort line234 of the coupler 230 to each other to form an independent flow path.

In detail, the flow path unit 304 may include a first flow path 310 forconnecting the air line 232 of the coupler 230 to the pump 260, and asecond flow path 320 for connecting the wort line 234 of the coupler 230to the pump 260.

The flow path unit 304 may include a gas exhaust 312 that is installedin the first flow path 310 and discharges gas generated when the wortcontained in the keg 202 is fermented, a first valve 314 for opening andclosing the gas exhaust 312, and a second valve 315 that is installedbetween the gas exhaust 312 and the pump 260 to open and close the firstflow path 310.

The first flow path 310 may include a pressure sensor 317 for detectingan internal pressure of the keg 202. The first flow path 310 isconnected to an internal part of the keg 202 through the air line 232 ofthe coupler 230, and thus, even if the pressure sensor 317 is positionedat the first flow path 310, it may be possible to detect the internalpressure of the keg 202.

Although not shown, the gas exhaust 312 may include an air filter forpreventing external air from being introduced into the first flow path310 and from contaminating the same, and may include a machine typerelief valve for discharging a pressure when the pressure sensor 317 andthe first valve 314 malfunction.

The filter unit 270 may include a filter bottle 274, a filter cap 275for covering and sealing the filter bottle 274, and a filter head 271that is connected to the flow path unit 304 and connects an internalpart of the filter bottle 274 to the flow path unit 304 when the filtercap 275 is connected to the filter head 271.

The filter bottle 274 may be a sterilization and washing filter bottlecontaining sterilization and washing water therein for sterilizing andwashing the flow path unit 304, may be a smart infusing filter bottlecontaining a material therein for adding the flavor and aroma of hop ora natural material itself to beer, or may be a yeast supply filterbottle containing yeast to be supplied to the wort contained in the keg202.

The filter unit 270 may be installed in the second flow path 320 and maybe connected to the wort line 234 of the coupler 230.

The flow path unit 304 may further include a third valve 325 that isinstalled at the second flow path 320 and opens and closes the secondflow path 320, and the third valve 325 may be installed between the wortline 234 of the coupler 230 and the filter unit 270.

FIG. 7 is a diagram showing an internal part of a chamber of the beermanufacturing apparatus of FIG. 1 . FIG. 8 is a diagram showing a statein which a keg is mounted in the chamber of FIG. 7 . FIG. 9 is aschematic diagram showing an independent flow path unit formed bymounting a keg in the chamber of FIG. 7 .

First, as shown in FIGS. 7 and 8 , the chamber 210 may include a supportplate 214 for mounting the two kegs 202 thereon, a hole 213 or a gap 216for smoothly circulating cool air supplied into the chamber 210 in an upand down direction based on the support plate 214 may be formed in thesupport plate 214, and a keg accommodation unit 215 with the keg 202accommodated thereon may be installed on the support plate 214 and at abottom part of the chamber 210.

The coupler 230 may be fixedly installed at an upper end of the chamber210 and an upper end of the support plate 214 in the chamber 210, theair line 232 of the coupler 230 may be connected to the first flow path310, and the wort line 234 of the coupler 230 may be fixedly installedwhile being connected to the second flow path 320.

Although not shown, the coupler 230 may be supported by an elasticmember such as a coil spring and may be fixed at the upper end of thechamber 210 or the upper end of the support plate 214 while the heightof the coupler 230 is adjustable. Then, as the height of the coupler 230is easily adjustable depending on the size of the keg 202, it may beconvenient to easily couple the keg CAP 205 to the coupler 230 while thekeg 202 is accommodated on the keg accommodation unit 215.

As shown in FIG. 9 , the keg cap 205 may include a wort hose 206 that isused to discharge wort contained in the keg 202 to the outside of thekeg 202 and is formed a long way up to an approximately bottom surfaceof the keg 202, and the wort hose 206 may be connected to the wort line234 of the coupler 230 when the keg cap 205 is coupled to the coupler230.

The keg cap 205 may include a gas exhaust line 207 that is connected toan internal space of the keg 202 and discharges gas generated duringfermentation of wort to the outside of the keg 202, and the gas exhaustline 207 may be connected to the air line 232 of the coupler 230 whenthe keg cap 205 is coupled to the coupler 230.

Then, as the keg cap 205 and the coupler 230 are coupled to each other,the flow path unit 304 may form a closed flow path connected to thefirst flow path 310, the second flow path 320, the coupler 230, and thekeg 202.

Thus, the keg 202 containing the wort therein may be mounted in thechamber 210 by coupling the keg cap 205 to the coupler 230 while the keg202 containing the wort therein is accommodated on the keg accommodationunit 215 installed in the chamber 210, and as such, when the keg 202containing the wort therein is mounted in the chamber 210, the wortcontained in the keg 202 may be connected to the second flow path 320through the wort hose 206 and the wort line 234, and as a space of thekeg 202 containing the wort therein is connected to the first flow path310 through the gas exhaust line 207 and the air line 232, the flow pathunit 304 may form a closed flow path.

Then, the wort contained in the keg 202 may be pumped by the pump 260 tothe second flow path 320 without being contaminated by contact with theoutside, and gas generated while the wort contained in the keg 202 isfermented may be discharged to the outside through the first flow path310 and the gas exhaust 312 without being contaminated by contact withthe outside.

A filter accommodation unit 217 for accommodating the filter bottle 274of the filter unit 270 thereon may be installed at one side of theinternal part of the chamber 210, and a filter head 271 may be fixedlyinstalled at an upper part of the filter accommodation unit 217 whilebeing connected to the flow path unit 304.

However, the present disclosure is not limited thereto, and the chamber210 may not include a separate the filter accommodation unit 217therein, but instead, the filter bottle 274 may be coupled to the filterhead 271 fixedly installed at the upper part of the chamber 210 to beinstalled in the chamber 210.

As shown in FIG. 9 , the filter head 271 may include a first filter line272 connected to the wort line 234 of the coupler 230, and a secondfilter line 273 connected to the pump 260, the filter head 271 may befixedly installed at an upper part of the filter accommodation unit 217while the first filter line 272 is connected to the wort line 234 of thecoupler 230 and the second filter line 273 is connected to the pump 260.

The filter cap 275 may include a first filter hose 276 that is formed along way up to an approximately bottom surface of the filter bottle 274,and a second filter hose 277 formed shorter than the first filter hose276, the first filter hose 276 and the second filter hose 277 may beconnected to the first filter line 272 and the second filter line 273,respectively, when the filter cap 275 is coupled to the filter head 271.

Thus, the filter cap 275 of the filter bottle 274 may be coupled to thefilter head 271 to mount the filter bottle 274 in the chamber 210, andas such, when the filter bottle 274 is installed in the chamber 210, aninternal part of the filter bottle 274 may be connected to the wort line234 of the coupler 230 through the first filter hose 276 and the firstfilter line 272 and may be connected to the pump 260 through the secondfilter hose 277 and the second filter line 273.

Then, an appropriate filter bottle for the purpose of the filter unit270 may be mounted as the filter bottle 274 in the chamber 210, andthus, beer with living yeast may be automatically and easilymanufactured from the wort contained in the keg 202 without beingcontaminated by contact with the outside.

For example, when a sterilization and washing filter bottle containingsterilization and washing water therein is used as the filter bottle274, the sterilization and washing water contained in the filter bottle274 may be circulated by the pump 260 in the flow path unit 304, andthus, the flow path unit 304 may be automatically sterilized and washedwithout being contaminated by contact with the outside.

When a smart infusing filter bottle containing a material therein forinfusing the flavor and aroma of hop or a natural material itself isused as the filter bottle 274, the wort contained in the keg 202 may becirculated by the pump 260 in the filter bottle 274, and thus, theflavor and the aroma may be automatically infused into beer withoutbeing contaminated by contact with the outside.

When a yeast supply filter bottle containing yeast for fermenting worttherein is used as the filter bottle 274, the wort contained in the keg202 may be circulated by the pump 260 in the filter bottle 274, andthus, the yeast may be automatically supplied to the wort without beingcontaminated by contact with the outside.

As shown in FIG. 9 , the keg accommodation unit 215 on which the keg 202is accommodated may include a weight sensor 40.

The weight sensor 40 may be used to measure a change in weight of thekeg 202 depending on a degree of fermentation progress of the wortcontained in the keg 202 and may be a load cell that is attachable to alower end of the keg accommodation unit 215.

Guide units 208 and 218 for guiding the keg 202 to be accommodated at anaccurate position of the keg accommodation unit 215 may be formed at anupper part of the keg accommodation unit 215 and a lower part of the keg202. For example, a protrusion 208 having a predetermined shape may beformed at the lower part of the keg 202, and a protrusion groove 218having a shape corresponding to the shape of the protrusion 208 to allowthe protrusion 208 to fit therein may be formed at the upper part of thekeg accommodation unit 215.

Then, as the keg 202 is accommodated at an accurate position of the kegaccommodation unit 215, the keg 202 may be accommodated at an accurateposition corresponding to the center of the weight sensor 40 included inthe keg accommodation unit 215, and accordingly, a measurement error ofa weight change that occurs when the keg 202 is accommodated to beinclined to the weight sensor 40 may be minimized, and a weight changebased on fermentation progress of the wort contained in the keg 202 maybe more accurately measured.

FIG. 10 is a diagram showing a configuration of a beer manufacturingapparatus according to an exemplary embodiment of the presentdisclosure.

Referring to FIG. 10 , the beer manufacturing apparatus 10 according toan exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure may include acontroller 20 that controls the cool air supply device 220 to adjust aninternal temperature of each of the plurality of chambers 210 andcontrols the fermentation device 300 to independently ferment the wortcontained in the keg 202 mounted in each of the plurality of chambers210.

The beer manufacturing apparatus 10 according to an exemplary embodimentof the present disclosure may include an input unit 60 to which adetailed fermentation condition such as a fermentation time or afermentation time of the wort contained in the keg 202.

The input unit 60 may be configured to allow a user to directly inputinformation and may include a scanner for reading information stored inthe form of a bar code or a quick response (QR) code.

For example, a bar code or a QR code for storing information on a typeof the wort contained in the keg 202, a type of used yeast, afermentation condition, whether the flavor or aroma of hop or a naturalmaterial itself is added, or a type of the material if the flavor or thearoma is added may be formed at an upper end of the keg cap 205, and theinput unit 60 may be configured in the form of a scanner for recognizingthe bar code or QR code formed at the upper code of the keg cap 205.

Thus, the controller 20 may control the cool air supply fan 225 and theduct open and closer 227 of the cool air supply device 220 and theheater 219 included in the chamber 210 based on information inputthrough the input unit 60, a temperature detected by a temperaturesensor 30 installed in the chamber 210, and a measurement value of aweight change of the keg 202, detected by the weight sensor 40, andthus, may independently adjust an internal temperature of each of theplurality of chambers 210 depending on a degree of the fermentationprogress of the wort contained in the keg 202.

The controller 20 may the pump 260, the first valve 314, the secondvalve 315, and the third valve 325 of the fermentation device 300 basedon information input through the input unit 60, a pressure detected bythe pressure sensor 317, and a measurement value of a weight change ofthe keg 202, detected by the weight sensor 40, and thus, mayindependently ferment the wort contained in the keg 202 mounted in eachof the plurality of chambers 210.

In the beer manufacturing apparatus according to an exemplary embodimentof the present disclosure as configured above, beer with living yeastmay be automatically manufactured rather than being contaminated bycontact with the outside without professional knowledge by simplymounting the keg 202 that contains wort, which is manufactured,provided, and sealed by a factory, in the chamber 210, and a pluralityof chambers for independently adjusting a temperature and independentlyfermenting wort are installed, and accordingly, various types of beermay be manufactured at one time.

Hereinafter, a method of manufacturing beer using a beer manufacturingapparatus according to the present disclosure will be described indetail.

FIG. 11 is a flowchart showing a beer manufacturing method using a beermanufacturing apparatus according to an exemplary embodiment of thepresent disclosure.

Referring to FIG. 11 , the beer manufacturing method using the beermanufacturing apparatus 10 according to an exemplary embodiment of thepresent disclosure may include a sterilization and washing operation(S10) of the flow path unit 304, an mounting operation (S20) of the keg202, a yeast supplying operation (S30), a primary fermentation operation(S40), a smart infusing operation (S50), a secondary fermentationoperation (S60), a cold breaking operation (S70), and a maturingoperation (S80).

The sterilization and washing operation (S10) of the flow path unit 304may be an operation of sterilizing and washing the flow path unit 304for connecting the wort line 234 and the air line 232 of the coupler 230that is fixedly installed in the chamber 210 before the keg 202containing the wort therein is mounted in the chamber 210 and may beperformed by using a sterilization and washing filter bottle containingsterilization and washing water therein as the filter bottle 274 of thefilter unit 270.

The mounting operation (S20) of the keg 202 may be an operation ofcoupling the keg cap 205 of the keg 202 containing the wort therein tothe coupler 230 to connect an internal part of the keg 202 containingthe wort therein to the sterilized and washed flow path unit 304, inwhich case an internal space of the keg 202 may be connected to thefirst flow path 310 through the gas exhaust line 207 and the air line232 and the wort contained in the keg 202 may be connected to the secondflow path 320 through the wort hose 206 and the wort line 234 bycoupling the keg cap 205 to the coupler 230 while the keg 202 containingthe wort therein on the keg accommodation unit 215 installed in thechamber 210.

The yeast supplying operation (S30) may be an operation of supplyingyeast for fermenting the wort contained in the keg 202 mounted in thechamber 210 and may be performed by using a yeast supply filter bottlecontaining yeast for fermenting wort therein as the filter bottle 274 ofthe filter unit 270.

The primary fermentation operation (S40) may be an operation ofdischarging gas generated when the wort contained in the keg 202 isfermented by opening the gas exhaust 312 installed in the flow path unit304.

When yeast is supplied to the wort contained in the keg 202,fermentation may immediately begin, and when fermentation begins, gasmay be generated while the yeast supplied into the keg 202 is activatedand alcohol is actively generated, and in this regard, the primaryfermentation operation (S40) may be an operation of discharging gas tothe outside for a predetermined time after fermentation begins, in whichcase the controller 20 may close the second valve 315 and the thirdvalve 325 and may open the first valve 314 to discharge gas generatedfrom the inside of the keg 202 to the outside through the gas exhaust312 for a predetermined time after fermentation begins.

The smart infusing operation (S50) may be an operation of infusing theflavor and aroma of hop or a natural material itself into beer and maybe performed by using a smart infusing filter bottle containing amaterial for infusing the flavor and the aroma therein as the filterbottle 274 of the filter unit 270.

The secondary fermentation operation (S60) may be an operation ofnaturally carbonizing the primarily fermented wort using gas generatedwhile the wort contained in the keg 202 is fermented by closing the gasexhaust 312, in which case the controller 20 may close the first valve314 to prevent gas generated in the keg 202 from being discharged to theoutside through the gas exhaust 312.

The cold breaking operation (S70) may be an operation of precipitatingprecipitates such as sugary rice, protein, or yeast mixed in secondarilyfermented beer on a bottom of the keg 202 by lowering the internaltemperature of the chamber 210 at about 2° C. or less.

The maturing operation (S80) may be an operation of maturing the beer onwhich operations up to the cold breaking operation (S70) is completelyperformed and maintaining the internal temperature of the chamber 210for a preset predetermined time while maintaining a preset predeterminedtemperature.

Hereinafter, a method of sterilization and washing operation of an flowpath unit using a beer manufacturing apparatus according to an exemplaryembodiment of the present disclosure will be described in detail withreference to the accompanying drawings.

The sterilization and washing operation (S10) of the flow path unit 304may be an operation of previously sterilizing and washing the flow pathunit 304 before the keg 202 containing wort therein is mounted in thechamber 210 and the wort is fermented.

FIGS. 12 to 14 are diagrams for explaining a sterilization and washingoperation of an flow path unit using a beer manufacturing apparatusaccording to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure. FIG. 12is a schematic diagram showing a state in which a sterilization andwashing cap is coupled to a coupler. FIG. 13 is a schematic diagramshowing a state in which sterilization and washing water is circulatedin an flow path unit. FIG. 14 is a flowchart showing the sterilizationand washing operation of an flow path unit using a beer manufacturingapparatus according to an exemplary embodiment of the presentdisclosure.

Referring to FIGS. 12 and 13 , the beer manufacturing apparatus 10according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure forautomatically sterilizing and washing the flow path unit 304 before thekeg 202 is mounted in the chamber 210 may further include asterilization and washing cap 280 that is coupled to the coupler 230 toform the flow path unit 304 as a closed flow path.

That is, the beer manufacturing apparatus 10 according to an exemplaryembodiment of the present disclosure for automatically sterilizing andwashing the flow path unit 304 may include the chamber 210, the coupler230 that is fixedly installed in the chamber 210 and includes the wortline 234 and the air line 232, the flow path unit 304 for connecting thewort line 234 and the air line 232 of the coupler 230 to each other, thesterilization and washing cap 280 that is coupled to the coupler 230 toform the flow path unit 304 as a closed flow path, a sterilization andwashing filter bottle 285 that is connected to the flow path unit 304and contains sterilization and washing water therein, the pump 260connected to the flow path unit 304, and the controller 20 forcontrolling an operation of the pump 260 to circulate the sterilizationand washing water contained in the sterilization and washing filterbottle 285 in the flow path unit 304 formed as a closed flow path.

The sterilization and washing cap 280 may include a space 283 forconnecting the wort line 234 and the air line 232 when being coupled tothe coupler 230.

Then, one sides of the wort line 234 and the air line 232 of the coupler230 that the wort line 234 and the air line 232 penetrate may beconnected to each other by the flow path unit 304, and the other sidesof the wort line 234 and the air line 232 may be connected to each otherby the sterilization and washing cap 280, and accordingly, the flow pathunit 304 may form a closed flow path.

The flow path unit 304 may include the first flow path 310 forconnecting the air line 232 of the coupler 230 and the pump 260 to eachother, the second flow path 320 for connecting the wort line 234 of thecoupler 230 and the pump 260 to each other, the gas exhaust 312installed in the first flow path 310, the first valve 314 for openingand closing the gas exhaust 312, and the second valve 315 that isinstalled between the gas exhaust 312 and the pump 260 to open and closethe first flow path 310.

The sterilization and washing filter bottle 285 may be connected to thesecond flow path 320.

The flow path unit 304 may further include the third valve 325 that isinstalled between the wort line 234 of the coupler 230 and thesterilization and washing filter bottle 285 to open and close the secondflow path 320.

The chamber 210 may include the filter head 271 that is fixedlyinstalled while being connected to the second flow path 320 and connectsan internal part of the sterilization and washing filter bottle 285 andthe second flow path 320 to each other when the filter cap 275 of thesterilization and washing filter bottle 285 is coupled to the filterhead 271.

The filter head 271 may include the first filter line 272 connected tothe wort line 234 of the coupler 230 and the second filter line 273connected to the pump 260.

The filter cap 275 may include the first filter hose 276 that is formeda long way up to an internal bottom surface of the sterilization andwashing filter bottle 285 to discharge almost the entire sterilizationand washing water contained in the sterilization and washing filterbottle 285 to the outside, and the second filter hose 277 connected toan internal space of the sterilization and washing filter bottle 285 soas not to reach a water surface of the sterilization and washing watercontained in the sterilization and washing filter bottle 285.

When the filter cap 275 is coupled to the filter head 271, the firstfilter hose 276 of the filter cap 275 may be connected to the firstfilter line 272 of the filter head 271, and the second filter hose 277of the filter cap 275 may be connected to the second filter line 273 ofthe filter head 271.

The pump 260 may be a pump that is capable of being driven in oppositedirections, for example, in clockwise and counterclockwise directions.

Then, the controller 20 may control a driving direction of the pump 260,and thus, may circulate the sterilization and washing water contained inthe sterilization and washing filter bottle 285 in the flow path unit304 formed as a closed flow path and then collect the sterilization andwashing water to the sterilization and washing filter bottle 285.

Referring to FIG. 14 , the sterilization and washing operation (S10) ofthe flow path unit 304 according to an exemplary embodiment of thepresent disclosure may include a sterilization and washing cap couplingand sterilization and washing filter bottle mounting operation (S12) ofcoupling the sterilization and washing cap 280 to the coupler 230 toform the flow path unit 304 as a closed flow path and connecting thesterilization and washing filter bottle 285 to the flow path unit 304, asterilization and washing water circulating operation (S14) ofcirculating the sterilization and washing water, contained in thesterilization and washing filter bottle 285, in the flow path unit 304formed as a closed flow path for a predetermined time by operating thepump 260 connected to the flow path unit 304, a sterilization andwashing water collecting operation (S15) of collecting the circulatedsterilization and washing water to the sterilization and washing filterbottle 285 by operating the pump 260 in an opposite direction, and asterilization and washing cap decoupling and sterilization and washingfilter bottle unmounting operation (S17) of decoupling the sterilizationand washing cap 280 coupled to the coupler 230 and unmounting thesterilization and washing filter bottle 285 connected to the flow pathunit 304.

For example, the sterilization and washing water circulation operation(S14) may be performed by operating the pump 260 in a counterclockwisedirection by the controller 20.

As shown in FIG. 13 , when the pump 260 is driven in a counterclockwisedirection, the sterilization and washing water contained in thesterilization and washing filter bottle 285 may be pumped to the flowpath unit 304 and may be circulated clockwise in the flow path unit 304along the first filter hose 276 formed a long way up to an internalbottom surface of the sterilization and washing filter bottle 285 andthen may be re-collected to the sterilization and washing filter bottle285 through the second filter hose 277, and accordingly, thesterilization and washing water contained in the sterilization andwashing filter bottle 285 may be continuously circulated in the flowpath unit 304 by operating the pump 260 in a counterclockwise direction.

In this case, the sterilization and washing water collecting operation(S15) may be performed by operating the pump 260 by the controller 20 inan opposite direction to the driving direction in the sterilization andwashing water circulation operation (S14), that is, in acounterclockwise direction.

As such, when the pump 260 is driven clockwise, the sterilization andwashing water may be circulated counterclockwise, and in this case, thesecond filter hose 277 does not reach a surface of the sterilization andwashing water, and thus, in a state in which the sterilization andwashing water in the sterilization and washing filter bottle 285 is notpumped to the flow path unit 304 any longer, only the sterilization andwashing water that remains in the flow path unit 304 may be collected tothe sterilization and washing filter bottle 285.

As described above, in the beer manufacturing apparatus 10 and thesterilizing and washing operation (S10) of the flow path unit 304 usingthe same according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosurefor automatically sterilizing and washing the flow path unit 304, thesterilization and washing cap 280 may be previously coupled to thecoupler 230 to form the flow path unit 304 as a closed flow path beforethe keg 202 containing wort therein is coupled to the coupler 230, thesterilization and washing filter bottle 285 containing the sterilizationand washing water may be connected to the flow path unit 304, and then,the sterilization and washing water may be circulated in the flow pathunit 304 formed as a closed flow path by operating the pump 260, andaccordingly, the flow path unit 304 may be automatically sterilized andwashed before the keg 202 is mounted being contaminated by contact withthe outside.

Hereafter, a smart infusing method using a beer manufacturing apparatusaccording to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure will bedescribed in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

The smart infusing operation (S50) may be an operation of infusing theflavor and aroma of hop or a natural material itself in to wort, and maybe selectively performed according to a recipe of beer as a manufacturetarget when the beer is manufactured using the beer manufacturingapparatus 10 according to the present disclosure.

Here, smart infusing refers to automatic infusion of the flavor andaroma of hop or a natural material itself into wort and includes dryhopping of adding hop in order to strengthen the flavor of beer.

FIGS. 15 to 18 are diagrams for explaining a smart infusing method usinga beer manufacturing apparatus according to an exemplary embodiment ofthe present disclosure. FIG. 15 is a schematic diagram showing a statein which a keg containing wort therein is coupled to a coupler. FIG. 16is a schematic diagram showing a state in which wort contained in a kegis circulated in an flow path unit. FIG. 17 is a flowchart showing asmart infusing method according to an exemplary embodiment of thepresent disclosure. FIG. 18 is a flowchart showing a smart infusingmethod according to another exemplary embodiment of the presentdisclosure.

Referring to FIGS. 15 and 16 , the beer manufacturing apparatus 10 forsmart infusing according to an exemplary embodiment of the presentdisclosure may include the chamber 210, the coupler 230 fixedlyinstalled in the chamber 210 and including the wort line 234 and the airline 232, the flow path unit 304 for connecting the wort line 234 andthe air line 232 of the coupler 230 to each other, the keg 202 that ismounted in the chamber 210 and contains wort while the keg 202 iscoupled to the coupler 230 to be connected to the flow path unit 304, asmart infusing filter bottle 287 connected to the flow path unit 304 andcontaining a material for infusing flavor and aroma into the wortcontained in the keg 202, the pump 260 connected to the flow path unit304, and the controller 20 for controlling an operation of the pump 260to infuse the material contained in the smart infusing filter bottle 287into the wort contained in the keg 202.

Here, the material contained in the smart infusing filter bottle 287 maybe a material for infusing flavor and aroma into the wort contained inthe keg 202, for example, hop, orange peel, a piece of oak wood, orvanilla.

When the keg 202 containing wort therein is coupled to the coupler 230and is connected to the flow path unit 304, one sides of the wort line234 and the air line 232 of the coupler 230 that the wort line 234 andthe air line 232 penetrate may be connected to each other by the flowpath unit 304, and the other sides of the wort line 234 and the air line232 may be connected to each other by the keg 202 containing the worttherein, and accordingly, the flow path unit 304 may form a closed flowpath.

The flow path unit 304 may include the first flow path 310 forconnecting the air line 232 of the coupler 230 and the pump 260 to eachother, the second flow path 320 for connecting the wort line 234 of thecoupler 230 and the pump 260 to each other, the gas exhaust 312installed in the first flow path 310, the first valve 314 for openingand closing the gas exhaust 312, and the second valve 315 that isinstalled between the gas exhaust 312 and the pump 260 to open and closethe first flow path 310.

The smart infusing filter bottle 287 may be connected to the second flowpath 320.

The flow path unit 304 may further include the third valve 325 that isinstalled between the wort line 234 of the coupler 230 and the smartinfusing filter bottle 287 to open and close the second flow path 320.

The keg 202 may include the keg cap 205 that seals an internal part ofthe keg 202 and is coupled to the coupler 230 to connect the internalpart of the keg 202 to the flow path unit 304.

The keg cap 205 may include the wort hose 206 that is formed a long wayup to an internal bottom surface of the keg 202 to discharge almost theentire wort contained in the keg 202 to the outside, and the gas exhaustline 207 connected to an internal space of the keg 202 to externallydischarge gas generated when the wort contained in the keg 202 isfermented.

When the keg cap 205 is coupled to the coupler 230, the wort hose 206 ofthe keg cap 205 may be connected to the wort line 234 of the coupler230, and the gas exhaust line 207 of the keg cap 205 may be connected tothe air line 232 of the coupler 230.

The chamber 210 may include the filter head 271 that is fixedlyinstalled while being connected to the second flow path 320 and connectsan internal part of the smart infusing filter bottle 287 and the secondflow path 320 to each other when the filter head 271 when the filter cap275 of the smart infusing filter bottle 287 is coupled to the filterhead 271.

The filter head 271 may include the first filter line 272 connected tothe wort line 234 of the coupler 230 and the second filter line 273connected to the pump 260.

The filter cap 275 may include the first filter hose 276 that is formeda long way up to an internal bottom surface of the smart infusing filterbottle 287 to collect almost the entire wort introduced into the smartinfusing filter bottle 287, and the second filter hose 277 connected toan internal space of the smart infusing filter bottle 287 to fill thematerial contained in the smart infusing filter bottle 287 into the wortintroduced into the smart infusing filter bottle 287.

When the filter cap 275 is coupled to the filter head 271, the firstfilter hose 276 of the filter cap 275 may be connected to the firstfilter line 272 of the filter head 271, and the second filter hose 277of the filter cap 275 may be connected to the second filter line 273 ofthe filter head 271.

The pump 260 may be a pump that is capable of being driven in oppositedirections, for example, in clockwise and counterclockwise directions.

Then, the controller 20 may control a driving direction of the pump 260,and thus, may introduce the wort contained in the keg 202 into the smartinfusing filter bottle 287 and may then re-collect the wort to the keg202.

The controller 20 may control an operation of the pump 260 to introducethe wort contained in the keg 202 into the smart infusing filter bottle287, and thus, may infuse the flavor and aroma of the material containedin the smart infusing filter bottle 287 into the wort contained in thekeg 202.

For example, the controller 20 may control the operation of the pump 260to circulate the wort contained in the keg 202 in the flow path unit 304or may also control the operation of the pump 260 to repeatedly performa process in which the wort contained in the keg 202 is immersed in thematerial contained in the smart infusing filter bottle 287 for apredetermined time and then is re-collected to the keg 202.

A level sensor 327 may be installed between the smart infusing filterbottle 287 and the pump 260.

Then, when the level sensor 327 detects wort, if the controller 20 stopsan operation of the pump 260, wort introduced into the smart infusingfilter bottle 287 may be maintained to be immersed in the materialcontained in the smart infusing filter bottle 287, and thus, thematerial contained in the smart infusing filter bottle 287 may beinfused into the wort introduced into the smart infusing filter bottle287.

Referring to FIG. 17 , the smart infusing operation (S50) according toan exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure may include a smartinfusing filter bottle mounting operation (S51) of connecting the smartinfusing filter bottle 287 to the flow path unit 304, and an infusingoperation (S52) of infusing a material contained in the smart infusingfilter bottle 287 into the wort contained in the keg 202 by operatingthe pump 260 connected to the flow path unit 304.

Here, the filter bottle mounting operation (S51) may be performed afterthe flow path unit sterilization and washing operation (S10) or afterthe yeast supplying operation (S30).

For example, when the yeast supplying operation (S30) is performed usinga yeast supply filter bottle as the filter bottle 274 of the filter unit270, the filter bottle mounting operation (S51) may be performed afterthe yeast supplying operation (S30) is performed, that is, after theyeast supply filter bottle is unmounted.

When a yeast supply filter bottle is not used as the filter bottle 274of the filter unit 270 during the yeast supplying operation (S30), thefilter bottle mounting operation (S51) may be performed after the flowpath unit sterilization and washing operation (S10) is performed, thatis, the sterilization and washing filter bottle 285 is mounted.

The infusing operation (S52) may include a wort circulating operation(S53) of circulating the wort contained in the keg 202 in the flow pathunit 304 for a predetermined time by operating the pump 260, and a wortcollecting operation (S54) of collecting the circulated wort into thekeg 202 by operating the pump 260 in an opposite direction.

For example, the wort circulating operation (S53) may be performed byoperating the pump 260 clockwise by the controller 20.

As shown in FIG. 16 , when the pump 260 is driven clockwise, the wortcontained in the keg 202 may be pumped to the flow path unit 304, may becirculated counterclockwise, and may then re-collected to the keg 202through the gas exhaust line 207 by the wort hose 206 formed a long wayup to an internal bottom surface of the keg 202, and thus, the wortcontained in the keg 202 may be continuously circulated counterclockwisein the flow path unit 304 by operating the pump 260 clockwise.

Then, a predetermined amount of a portion of wort circulated in the flowpath unit 304 may always be maintained to be immersed in the materialcontained in the smart infusing filter bottle 287, and thus, the flavorand aroma of the material contained in the smart infusing filter bottle287 may be infused into the wort circulated in the flow path unit 304.

In this case, the wort collecting operation (S54) may be performed byoperating the pump 260 in an opposite direction to the driving operationin the wort circulating operation (S53), that is, in a counterclockwisedirection by the controller 20.

As such, when the pump 260 is driven counterclockwise, wort may becirculated clockwise in the flow path unit 304, and in this case, thefirst filter hose 276 of the filter cap 275 almost reaches a bottomsurface of the smart infusing filter bottle 287, and thus, the wortintroduced into the smart infusing filter bottle 287 may be collected tothe keg 202, and in contrast, the gas exhaust line 207 of the keg cap205 does not reach the wort contained in the keg 202, and thus, as thewort collected to the keg 202 may not be pumped to the flow path unit304 any longer, only wort introduced into the smart infusing filterbottle 287 and the wort remaining in the flow path unit 304 may becollected to the keg 202.

FIG. 18 is a flowchart showing a smart infusing operation according toanother embodiment of the present disclosure.

Referring to FIG. 18 , the smart infusing operation (S50) according tothe present embodiment is different from that of the above embodiment interms of only the infusing operation (S52), and thus, hereinafter, onlya description thereof will be given.

An infusing operation (S55) according to the present embodiment mayinclude a wort introducing operation (S56) of introducing the wortcontained in the keg 202 into the smart infusing filter bottle 287 byoperating the pump 260, a wort immersing operation (S57) of maintaininga state in which the wort is immersed in a material contained in thesmart infusing filter bottle 287 for a predetermined time by stopping anoperation of the pump 260 when the wort is filled in the smart infusingfilter bottle 287, and a wort collecting operation (S58) of collectingthe wort immersed in the material the smart infusing filter bottle 287to the keg 202 by operating the pump 260 in an opposite direction.

The infusing operation (S55) may be performed by sequentially repeatingthe wort introducing operation (S56), the wort immersing operation(S57), and the wort collecting operation (S58).

Whether wort is filled in the smart infusing filter bottle 287 may bedetermined in the wort immersing operation (S57) by detecting wort bythe level sensor 327 installed between the smart infusing filter bottle287 and the pump 260.

For example, when wort is detected by the level sensor 327, thecontroller 20 may determine that wort is filled in the smart infusingfilter bottle 287 and may stop an operation of the pump 260.

The infusing operations (S52 and S55) may be performed in the middle ofthe primary fermentation operation (S40) and may be performed justbefore the secondary fermentation operation (S60) from a predeterminedtime before the secondary fermentation operation (S60) starts.

The gas exhaust 312 is open in the primary fermentation operation (S40)and the gas exhaust 312 is closed in the secondary fermentationoperation (S60), and thus, flavor and aroma that are infused into wortin the infusing operations (S52 and S55) may be prevented from goingaway to the outside through the gas exhaust 312 by performing theinfusing operations (S52 and S55) just before the secondary fermentationoperation (S60).

As described above, when the beer manufacturing apparatus 10 for smartinfusing according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosureand the smart infusing operation (S50) using the same are used, flavorand aroma may be automatically and easily infused into beer withoutbeing contaminated by contact with the outside.

Hereinafter, a beer manufacturing apparatus according to anotherexemplary embodiment of the present disclosure will be described indetail.

As described above, yeast may be supplied to the wort contained in thekeg 202 mounted in the chamber 210 using the filter unit 270, but whenyeast is supplied using the filter unit 270, if impurities of the yeastremains in the second flow path 320, this may not be appropriate forsanitary reasons, and it may be inconvenient that, after the yeast issupplied using the filter unit 270, the yeast supply filter bottle isunmounted from the filter unit 270 and then the smart infusing filterbottle 287 is mounted on the filter unit 270 again.

FIGS. 19 to 27 are diagrams for explaining a beer manufacturingapparatus according to an exemplary embodiment of the presentdisclosure, FIG. 19 is a diagram showing a keg containing wort thereinprovided in a beer manufacturing apparatus according to an exemplaryembodiment of the present disclosure, FIG. 20 is an exploded diagramshowing the keg containing the wort therein illustrated in FIG. 19 ,FIG. 21 is a diagram showing a state in which a coupler is coupled to akeg cap of the keg containing the wort therein illustrated in FIG. 19 ,FIG. 22 is a schematic cross-sectional view of a keg cap with an yeastcapsule integrated therewith according to an exemplary embodiment of thepresent disclosure, FIG. 23 is a schematic cross-sectional view of acoupler coupled to the keg cap illustrated in FIG. 22 , FIG. 24 is aschematic cross-sectional view of a state which the keg cap illustratedin FIG. 22 and the coupler illustrated in FIG. 23 are coupled to eachother, FIG. 25 is an enlarged view of a portion ‘A’ of FIG. 24 , FIG. 26is an enlarged view of a portion ‘B’ of FIG. 24 , and FIG. 27 is a anenlarged view of a portion ‘C’ of FIG. 24 .

For overcoming the above problem, the beer manufacturing apparatus 10according to the present embodiment may include an yeast capsuleintegration-type keg cap 400 and a coupler 450 coupled to the keg cap400.

That is, in the beer manufacturing apparatus 10 according to the presentembodiment, an yeast capsule 370 containing yeast to be supplied to thewort contained in the keg 202 may be integrated with the keg cap 400,and by simply coupling the keg cap 400 with the yeast capsule 370integrated therewith to the coupler 450, the yeast contained in theyeast capsule 370 may be automatically and easily supplied to the wortcontained in the keg 202.

The beer manufacturing apparatus 10 according to the present embodimentmay include the chamber 210, the keg 202 containing wort therein andmounted in the chamber 210, the yeast capsule integration-type keg cap400 that is coupled to the keg 202 to seal an internal part of the keg202 and in which the yeast capsule 370 containing yeast to be suppliedto the wort contained in the keg 202 is mounted, the coupler 450 that isfixedly installed in the chamber 210 and includes the wort line 234 andthe air line 232, the flow path unit 304 for connecting the wort line234 and the air line 232 of the coupler 450, the pump 260 connected tothe flow path unit 304, and the controller 20 for controlling anoperation of the pump 260 to supply the yeast contained in the yeastcapsule 370 to the wort contained in the keg 202.

The yeast capsule integration-type keg cap 400 may include a wortdischarge line 410 through which the wort contained in the keg 202 isdischarged, a gas exhaust line 207 through which internal gas of the keg202 is discharged, and the wort hose 206 coupled to a lower part of thewort discharge line 410 and is formed a long way to an internal bottomsurface of the keg 202.

The yeast capsule 370 may be mounted in the wort discharge line 410.

When the keg cap 400 and the coupler 450 are coupled to each other, thewort line 234 of the coupler 450 may be connected to the wort dischargeline 410 of the keg cap 400, and the air line 232 of the coupler 450 maybe connected to the gas exhaust line 207 of the keg cap 400.

The flow path unit 304 may include a first flow path 310 for connectingthe air line 232 of the coupler 450 to the pump 260, the second flowpath 320 for connecting the wort line 234 of the coupler 450 to the pump260, the gas exhaust 312 installed in the first flow path 310, the firstvalve 314 for opening and closing the gas exhaust 312, and the secondvalve 315 installed between the gas exhaust 312 and the pump 260 andconfigured to open and close the first flow path 310.

Then, the controller 20 may operate the pump 260 to pump the wortcontained in the keg 202 to the second flow path 320 through the worthose 206 and the wort discharge line 410 of the keg cap 400 and the wortline 234 of the coupler 450, and thus, the wort contained in the keg 202may be moved through the yeast capsule 370 mounted in the wort dischargeline 410 of the keg cap 400, thereby automatically supplying the yeastcontained in the yeast capsule 370 to the wort contained in the keg 202.

The second flow path 320 may include a level sensor (not shown) fordetecting wort.

Then, when the level sensor detects wort after the pump 260 is operated,the controller 20 may operate the pump 260 in an opposite direction tore-collect the wort to the keg 202, thereby preventing the wort to whichthe yeast is supplied from circulating in the entire flow path unit 304.

In addition, when the level sensor detects wort after the pump 260 isoperated, the controller 20 may operate the pump 260 in an oppositedirection to repeatedly collect the wort to the keg 202, therebyeffectively supplying yeast to the wort contained in the keg 202.

The coupler 450 may include a contact switch 470 for generating a signalto the controller 20 when the coupler 450 is completely coupled to thekeg cap 400, a wire unit 478 for connecting the contact switch 470 tothe controller 20, and a light emitting unit 477 for emitting light whenthe contact switch 470 is connected to the wire unit 478 to generate asignal.

A flange groove 412 may be formed at an internal side of the wortdischarge line 410, and a flange projection 377 caught by the flangegroove 412 may be formed at an outer side of the yeast capsule 370.

Then, after the yeast capsule 370 is mounted in the wort discharge line410, the flange projection 377 may be caught by the flange groove 412 toprevent the yeast capsule 370 from being separated from the wortdischarge line 410.

Referring to FIGS. 21 and 22 , the keg 202 containing wort thereinprovided by the beer manufacturing apparatus 10 according to anexemplary embodiment of the present disclosure may include a bottle 201containing wort therein, the yeast capsule integration-type keg cap 400that is coupled to the bottle 201 to seal an internal part of the bottle201 and includes the wort discharge line 410 in which the yeast capsule370 is mounted, and a keg cap lid 402 that is coupled to the keg cap 400to protect the yeast capsule 370.

A barcode or QR code 403 including information on a type of the wortcontained in the keg 202, a type of the yeast contained in the yeastcapsule 370 mounted on the keg cap 400, a fermentation condition, or thelike may be indicated at an upper end of the keg cap lid 402.

As shown in FIG. 23 , at a place at which the beer manufacturingapparatus 10 according to an exemplary embodiment of the presentdisclosure is installed, the keg cap lid 402 may be decoupled from theprovided keg 202, and then, the keg cap 400 may be coupled to thecoupler 450, thereby easily mounting the keg 202 in the chamber 210.

Hereinafter, a yeast capsule integration-type keg cap and a couplercoupled to the keg cap will be described in detail with reference toFIGS. 20 to 27 .

The yeast capsule integration-type keg cap 400 according to an exemplaryembodiment of the present disclosure may include a keg coupling unit405, the wort discharge line 410, the gas exhaust line 207, the yeastcapsule 370, a keg cap blade 413, a yeast capsule support 420, a firstspring 427, a second sealing member 430, and a second spring 434.

The keg coupling unit 405 may be a component that is coupled to the keg202 containing the wort therein to seal an internal part of the keg 202and may protrude at opposite sides of an approximately upper part of thekeg cap 400.

A coupler coupling unit 407 to which the coupler 450 is coupled may beinstalled at an upper part of the keg cap 400, and an accommodationgroove 409 on which the coupler 450 coupled to the coupler coupling unit407 is accommodated may be installed between two parts of the couplercoupling unit 407.

The wort discharge line 410 may be a channel through which the wortcontained in the keg 202 is discharged and may be formed through anapproximately central portion of the keg cap 400.

The gas exhaust line 207 may be a channel through which internal gas ofthe keg 202 is discharged and may be formed through an approximate edgeof the keg cap 400.

The yeast capsule 370 may be a component containing yeast therein, to besupplied to the wort contained in the keg 202, and may be mounted in thewort discharge line 410.

In order to prevent the yeast capsule 370 mounted in the wort dischargeline 410 from being separated therefrom, the flange groove 412 may beformed at an internal side of the wort discharge line 410, and theflange projection 377 caught by the flange groove 412 may be formed atan outer side of the yeast capsule 370.

The yeast capsule 370 may be compressed by the coupler 450 accommodatedon the accommodation groove 409 when the keg cap 400 is coupled to thecoupler 450.

The keg cap blade 413 may be installed at a lower part of the wortdischarge line 410.

The yeast capsule support 420 may be installed between the yeast capsule370 and the keg cap blade 413 and may support the yeast capsule 370.

The first spring 427 may support the yeast capsule support 420.

Then, as shown in FIG. 22 , a lower end sealing unit 372 for sealing aninternal part of the yeast capsule 370 may maintain a state in which thelower end sealing unit 372 does not contact the keg cap blade 413 due tothe first spring 427 and the yeast capsule support 420 until the keg cap400 is coupled to the coupler 450 and is compressed by the yeast capsule370, and thus, the lower end sealing unit 372 may be prevented frombeing worn by the keg cap blade 413 to prevent sealing of the internalpart of the yeast capsule 370 from being released.

In contrast, as show in FIG. 24 , when the keg cap 400 is coupled to thecoupler 450 and the yeast capsule 370 is compressed, the yeast capsulesupport 420 may be lowered as the first spring 427 is compressed, andwhen the yeast capsule support 420 is lowered, the lower end sealingunit 372 of the yeast capsule 370 may be worn and open by the keg capblade 413.

A first sealing member 425 for sealing the wort discharge line 410 maybe installed at a lower part of the yeast capsule support 420.

Then, as shown in FIG. 25 , the yeast capsule support 420 may besupported upward by the first spring 427 until the keg cap 400 iscoupled to the coupler 450, and thus, the wort discharge line 410 may bemaintained to be sealed by the first sealing member 425 installed at thelower part of the yeast capsule support 420.

In contrast, as shown in FIG. 25 , when the keg cap 400 is coupled tothe coupler 450 and the yeast capsule 370 is compressed, the yeastcapsule support 420 may be lowered as the first spring 427 iscompressed, sealing of the wort discharge line 410 by the first sealingmember 425 may be released.

Thus, the lower end sealing unit 372 of the yeast capsule 370 and thefirst sealing member 425 may be maintained to seal the internal part ofthe yeast capsule 370 and the wort discharge line 410, respectively,until the keg cap 400 is coupled to the coupler 450, and then, when thekeg cap 400 is coupled to the coupler 450, the internal part of theyeast capsule 370 and the wort discharge line 410 may be simultaneouslyconnected to each other.

The second sealing member 430 may be a component for sealing the gasexhaust line 207, and the second spring 434 may be a component forsupporting the second sealing member 430.

As shown in FIG. 22 , the second sealing member 430 may be supportedupward by elastic force of the second spring 434 until the keg cap 400is coupled to the coupler 450, and thus, a state in which the gasexhaust line 207 is sealed may be maintained.

In contrast, as shown in FIG. 26 , when the keg cap 400 is coupled tothe coupler 450, sealing of the gas exhaust line 207 may be sealed asthe second sealing member 430 is compressed.

A wort hose coupling unit 415 to which the wort hose 206 formed a longway to an internal bottom surface of the keg 202 is coupled may beinstalled at a lower part of the wort discharge line 410.

Referring to FIGS. 23 and 24 , according to an exemplary embodiment ofthe present disclosure, the coupler 450 coupled to the keg cap 400 mayinclude a body 452 including the wort line 234 and the air line 232, acoupler guide 453 for compressing the body 452 when the coupler 450 iscoupled to the keg cap 400, an yeast capsule compressor 455 thatprotrudes at a lower part of the body 452 and compresses the yeastcapsule 370 when the coupler guide 453 is coupled to the keg cap 400, asecond sealing member compressor 457 that protrudes at a lower part ofthe body 452 and compresses the second sealing member 430 to connect thegas exhaust line 207 of the keg cap 400 to the air line 232 of thecoupler 450 when the coupler guide 453 is coupled to the keg cap 400,and a coupler blade 460 installed in the wort line 234 and configured towear and open an upper end sealing unit 374 of the yeast capsule 370when the coupler guide 453 is coupled to the keg cap 400.

The coupler 450 may further include a third spring 462 that is installedbetween a wort line flange projection 459 and the coupler blade 460 thatare formed at an internal part of the wort line 234 and compress thecoupler blade 460 downward, a third sealing member 463 that is caught bythe wort line flange projection 459 to prevent the coupler blade 460from being separated downward and to, simultaneously, seal the wort line234 when the third spring 462 compresses the coupler blade 460 downwardmay be installed at an upper part of the coupler blade 460, and an edgeportion 465 of the coupler blade 460 may contact an edge of an upper endof the yeast capsule 370 to compress the third spring 462 upward inorder to release sealing of the wort line 234 by the third sealingmember 463 when the coupler guide 453 is coupled to the keg cap 400.

In this case, a central portion of the coupler blade 460 may protrudedownward compared with the edge portion 465. Then, before the edgeportion 465 contacts the edge of the upper end of the yeast capsule 370,the coupler blade 460 may wear and open an upper end sealing unit 374 ofthe yeast capsule 370.

An internal flange projection 375 that protrudes inward may be formed atthe edge of the upper end of the yeast capsule 370. Then, when thecoupler guide 453 is coupled to the keg cap 400, the edge portion 465 ofthe coupler blade 460 may easily contact the edge of the upper end ofthe yeast capsule 370.

Thus, as shown in FIG. 23 , before the coupler guide 453 is coupled tothe keg cap 400, the third sealing member 463 may not be separated fromthe body 452 while the third sealing member 463 is caught by the wortline flange projection 459 in a state in which the coupler blade 460protrudes downward by compressing the third spring 462 downward, and thewort line 234 of the coupler 450 may be maintained to be sealed by thethird sealing member 463.

In contrast, as shown in FIGS. 24 and 27 , when the coupler guide 453 iscoupled to the keg cap 400, the upper end sealing unit 374 of the yeastcapsule 370 may be worn and open by the coupler blade 460 as the body452 may be moved downward by compressing the coupler guide 453 downward,and after the upper end sealing unit 374 is worn and open, sealing ofthe wort line 234 by the third sealing member 463 may be released as thethird spring 462 is compressed upward while the edge portion 465 of thecoupler blade 460 contacts an edge of an upper end of the yeast capsule370.

Then, the wort discharge line 410 of the keg cap 400 and the wort line234 of the coupler 450 may be connected to each other across the yeastcapsule 370 in which the upper end sealing unit 374 and the lower endsealing unit 372 are worn and open.

The coupler 450 may further include a fourth sealing member 458 that isinstalled at opposite sides of the second sealing member compressor 457and seals a connection portion of the gas exhaust line 207 and the airline 232, which is formed when the keg cap 400 and the coupler 450 arecoupled to each other.

The coupler 450 may further include the contact switch 470 that isinstalled in the body 452 and contacts a protrusion 408 installed at anupper end of the keg cap 400 to generate a signal when the coupler guide453 is completely coupled to the coupler coupling unit 407 of the kegcap 400, and the light emitting unit 477 for emitting light when thecontact switch 470 generates a signal.

As described above, the present disclosure relates to a beermanufacturing apparatus for directly producing and selling beer withliving yeast on location without professional knowledge andautomatically and easily manufacturing various types of beer at low costat one time without being contaminated by contact with the outside, andembodiments of the present disclosure may be changed in various forms.Accordingly, the embodiments are not limited by the disclosure in thespecification, and any changeable form by one of ordinary skill in theart to which the embodiments pertain may also belong to the scope of theembodiments of the present disclosure.

1. A yeast capsule integration-type keg cap comprising: a keg couplingunit coupled to a keg containing wort therein; a wort discharge linethrough which the wort contained in the keg is discharged; an yeastcapsule installed in the wort discharge line and configured to containyeast therein, to be supplied to the wort contained in the keg; a kegcap blade installed at a lower part of the wort discharge line; an yeastcapsule support installed between the yeast capsule and the keg capblade, configured to support the yeast capsule; and a first springconfigured to support the yeast capsule support, wherein the yeastcapsule support is lowered as the first spring is compressed when theyeast capsule is compressed; and wherein a lower end sealing unit of theyeast capsule is worn and open by the keg cap blade.
 2. The yeastcapsule integration-type keg cap of claim 1, further comprising: a firstsealing member installed at a lower part of the yeast capsule supportand configured to seal the wort discharge line, wherein sealing of thewort discharge line of the first sealing member is released when theyeast capsule support is lowered.
 3. The yeast capsule integration-typekeg cap of claim 1, further comprising: a gas exhaust line through whichinternal gas of the keg is discharged; a second sealing memberconfigured to seal the gas exhaust line; and a second spring configuredto support the second sealing member.
 4. The yeast capsuleintegration-type keg cap of claim 3, wherein sealing of the gas exhaustline is released as the second spring is compressed when the secondsealing member is compressed.
 5. The yeast capsule integration-type kegcap of claim 1, wherein a flange groove is formed at an internal side ofthe wort discharge line, and an outer flange projection caught by theflange groove is formed at an outer side of the yeast capsule.
 6. Theyeast capsule integration-type keg cap of claim 1, wherein a wort hosecoupling unit, to which a wort hose formed a long way to an internalbottom surface of the keg is coupled, is installed at a lower part ofthe wort discharge line.